Books Signed by Mary Adams

Mary Adams defies classification as a poet. Yes, she is a formalist, one of the best writing in America today, but she is also a poet of surprising and sometimes disconcerting wit and erudition that give her poetry a memorable texture. I have known Mary ever since she came to teach in Western Carolina University's English department. She is one of the most verbally gifted writers I've ever met, and I am always dazzled by the way she makes language come alive. When Dana Gioia telephoned her with the good news that she had just been awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Poetry, we all celebrated. Mary is a poet who deserves a much wider audience.

Mary's passion for poetry is matched by her love of animals. She has worked for many years with the Humane Society of Jackson County, rescuing numerous animals from the local shelter and giving them a home until they can be placed with permanent owners. She's a great saleswoman, too. I now have four dogs that Mary told me we couldn't live without! She was right about that, but I have drawn the line at four. She keeps trying to change my mind, but so far she hasn't been successful. Maybe if she wrote a poem about why I should add another dog to my life, well—maybe I would reconsider. —Kathryn Stripling Byer